Model based design of a self-balancing vehicle: A mechatronic system design case study

Abstract

The design and control of a self-balancing vehicle is an ideal case study for the teaching of mechatronics. It is a challenging topic that attracts the students' attention and increases their motivation. It includes several topics of highly practical importance such as modelling, system identification, filtering of the measured signal, implementing the embedded system or tuning of the PID or the LQR/LQG controller. After the theoretical introduction and simulation students can easily build the robot and program it with the automatically generated code, literally in a few hours, using widely available LEGO NXT Mindstorms. Model based design (MBD) offers an interesting framework for such a complex project. This paper focuses on the parameter estimation of a nonlinear analytical model and on the implementation of fault management. The published results are based on our experiences with the designing and use of our own laboratory experimental vehicle. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.